Scottsdale building department

Scottsdale Planning and Development Services handles plan review, permits, and inspections inside city limits. Parcels outside the city go to Maricopa County or the city or town that covers them.

Applying in Scottsdale SPUR

Scottsdale SPUR, the city’s Tyler EnerGov portal, replaced eServices in January 2026. Every project started after Jan. 6, 2026 is applied for, paid, tracked, and inspected in SPUR.

• Make a new account. Click “Register” in the portal. Logins from eServices did not carry over.
• Find your permit type. Use the Application Assistant or the “Permit” tab.
• Older projects stay in eServices unless city staff tell you it has moved.
• Paying. Pay by card in SPUR, or by check or cash at the One Stop Shop counter.

Counter hours: Permit Services is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, except Wednesday (1 to 5 p.m.). No transactions after 4 p.m. For application questions, call the One Stop Shop at (480) 312-7725.

What needs a permit

Doing permit-required work without a permit brings a fine equal to double the permit fee.

Category	Examples from the city’s Home Improvement guidance
No permit or approval	Re-roofing with the same material; replacing cabinets, countertops, drywall, flooring, trim, or interior doors; interior painting; repairing existing landscape irrigation piping
Courtesy review only (no permit, but site plan approval)	Detached non-habitable structures under 200 sq ft with no utilities; patio slabs, sidewalks, and drives no more than 30 in. above grade; non-retaining walls 3 ft or less; low-voltage landscape lighting; masonry outdoor fireplaces, fire pits, and barbecues
Minimum Permit (no plan review)	Like-for-like AC or air handler swap; window replacement (not just the glass); ceiling fans, new circuits, and service upgrades up to 400 A; water heater replacement; sewer line repair; gas lines for BBQs, pool heaters, and fire pits; pool or spa demolition
Full permit with plan review	Pools and spas; walls and fences; patio covers; carports; ramadas; garage or patio enclosures; accessory buildings; guest homes; remodels and additions

For a single-story remodel or addition under 1,000 sq ft, use the city’s Minor Addition/Remodel Submittal Packet.

Fences and walls

These rules apply to single-family homes. A permit is required for:

• any fence taller than 3 ft
• adding height to a fence that is already over 3 ft
• replacing an existing fence
• any retaining wall (engineered plans are always required)
• dry-stack or interlocking block walls over 30 in.

Walls 3 ft or lower still need courtesy site plan approval. Walls in a public utility easement need approval letters from every utility. To legalize an unpermitted wall, or to raise one, start with a sealed assessment from an Arizona-licensed engineer or architect.

Sheds, pergolas, and detached garages

Rules for non-livable detached structures:

• Size. Under 200 sq ft needs no permit, but it must meet setbacks and get plan approval at the One Stop Shop.
• Placement. Accessory structures can’t be in the required front or side yards and can cover no more than 30% of the rear yard.
• Setback from the property line. At least 2 ft, plus 1 ft for every foot of height over 10 ft.
• Distance from the house. At least 10 ft in most districts, or 5 ft in R1-7.

The Foothills Overlay and Environmentally Sensitive Lands areas have separate standards.

Pools and spas

A pool permit covers the pool plus its electrical and plumbing work. The pool plan won’t be approved until the barrier fence plan is approved, and there is no barrier exemption for households without children. Pools need a 2 ft setback from property lines unless an easement applies.

Plan review

Plans are reviewed for Planning, Building, Engineering, Stormwater, and Fire. A completeness check comes first, then the code review; corrections mean a resubmittal.

Published review times (business days):

Plan type	Administrative	Substantive
Single-family residential	7	15
Pools, fences, walls	5	5

Review fees are due after the completeness check. Applications are abandoned 180 days after the last review. Written requests can get 180-day extensions.

Fees

The FY 2026/27 fee schedules took effect July 1, 2026 and are on the city’s Fees page. A Permit Fee Calculator covers building permit fees, and other estimates can be requested by email.

Adopted codes

Scottsdale enforces the 2021 IBC, IRC, IFC, IEBC, IPC, IMC, IFGC, IECC, ISPSC, and IgCC, plus the 2020 NEC, all with city amendments:

• The building and fire code package took effect Jan. 1, 2023.
• The IRC and IECC amendments took effect Jan. 7, 2023.
• The IgCC amendments are listed as mandatory as of July 1, 2023.

Inspections

How you schedule depends on where the project started:

• SPUR projects: open the permit, go to the Inspections tab, and choose “Request Inspection.”
• Legacy eServices projects: use the QR code on your inspection card, or schedule online with the permit keycode and a code from the city’s Inspection Code Lookup list.

Building Inspection is (480) 312-5750; fire and life safety inspections are (480) 312-1855. Inspectors work 6 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. April through October and 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. November through March. For an arrival window, call your inspector in the first half hour of the shift.

Required inspections, depending on scope: foundation, under-slab, masonry, roof deck/strap/shear, framing, insulation, lath or gypsum board, and final.

A permit expires if the first inspection isn’t done within 180 days of issuance, and each later inspection must follow the previous one within 180 days.

Flood zones and occupancy

Buildings in FEMA flood zones A, AE, AH, or AO need an approved FEMA Elevation Certificate before the final Certificate of Occupancy. A Temporary Certificate of Occupancy requires a refundable deposit equal to total permit fees or $2,500, whichever is greater.